ADOC 224/AHIS 224 Nonfiction Media Storytelling (3)
This course explores the use of narrative in books, films, and other works intended to present factual content to the general public. Students will watch, read about, write about, and discuss a range of work, developing tools for analyzing and evaluating nonfiction media in terms of both content and craft. Only one version may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): restricted to Documentary Studies Program and History Department majors and minors. Others may be admitted space permitting, and with permission from the instructor. This class is recommended for students planning to take ADOC 412.
ADOC 225/AJRL 225 Media Law and Ethics (3)
This course examines strategies for making good ethical decisions in newsgathering and writing as well as the laws that pertain to daily journalism and public relations. The course covers the major ethical theories and philosophies and the major legal cases that journalists must know. Emphasis will be on actual cases and hypothetical situations encountered in daily journalism. The course pays special attention to some of the most common dilemmas - libel, free press/fair trial conflicts, anonymous sources, and publishing content that can harm people. Only one version of ADOC 225 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): restricted to Journalism, Documentary Studies, and History majors and minors. Others may be admitted space permitting, and with permission from the instructor.
ADOC 227/AHIS 227 Civil Rights: A Documentary Approach (3)
This course looks at the intersection of history and media as it pertains to the American civil rights movement. Focusing on the landmark archival television series Eyes on the Prize and a range of primary and secondary sources (documents, films, music, and more), we will study not only the historical events depicted on screen but also the ways in which these events were documented, archived, and later shaped into public media. Only one version of ADOC 227 may be taken for credit.
ADOC 251/AHIS 251 Introduction to Documentary Studies (3)
This course is an introduction to the history and practice of documentary expression in a range of media, including film, photography, narrative non-fiction writing, and aural/audio documentaries and oral histories, as presented via traditional and new media platforms. It explores the technology, aesthetics, and ethics of capturing and representing the lives, work, and stories of others for public and scholarly consumption.
ADOC 308Z/AJRL 308Z Narrative Journalism (3)
Students will explore a variety of journalistic styles, with an emphasis on compelling narrative and description, combined with the skillful use of quotes and dialogue. The class features intensive critiques of students' work. A variety of formats will be studied: newspapers, magazines, non-fiction books, and on-line publications. Readings for the course include works by Janet Malcolm, Barbara Ehrenreich, Ellen Ullman, Mary Karr, Edward Abbey, Edmund Wilson, Michael Herr, and James Baldwin. Students submit weekly writing assignments and a final portfolio of edited work. Only one version may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): declared JRL major/minor, and AJRL 200Z.
ADOC 323/AHIS 334 Foundations of Documentary Filmmaking (3)
This course will introduce students to the fundamentals of researching, planning, shooting and editing digital video documentaries. When ADOC 323 is taught cross-listed with A HIS 334, the content focus will be history. Restricted to History and Documentary Studies majors and minors; all others by permission of instructor. Recommended for students planning to take AHIS or ADOC 406.
ADOC 324/AJRL 324 Introduction to Documentary Photography (3)
This course offers an in-depth exploration of documentary photography through the study of historical and contemporary practices. Students will examine how images shape public perception, tell compelling stories, and reflect societal shifts. Through a combination of lectures, critical discussions, and hands-on practice, students will explore the technical, ethical, and creative decisions behind documentary photography. A semester-long documentary project, informed by research, will allow each student to develop a personal narrative, improve their digital media skills, and produce a cohesive body of work. Restricted to Documentary Studies Program and Journalism majors and minors. Others may be admitted space permitting, and with permission from the instructor.
ADOC 330/AHIS 330 Digital Methods for Historians (3)
Web-based historical projects utilize a variety of digital elements to construct compelling, interactive, linear and nonlinear stories on nonfiction topics. This course introduces students to digital research and analysis tools for historians, as well as the fundamentals of web publishing and digital multimedia composition. Students will gain skills in writing history for a public audience, conducting community-based research, analyzing quantitative sources, and working with historical data. Internet access outside of class is required and home use of a computer is strongly suggested. No previous computer skills are necessary. AHIS 100, AHIS 101, AHIS 305, or AHIS 395 are suggested preparation but not required.
ADOC 335/AHIS 335; formerly ADOC/AHIS 405 History and Theory of the Documentary Film (3)
This course will introduce students to the history, theory, and aesthetics of documentary filmmaking. Beginning with a review and analysis of the general history of the documentary film genre and the varieties of approaches adopted by non-fiction filmmakers, we will begin to systematically unravel the various elements that contribute to the creation of informative, moving, and powerful documentary films – with special emphasis on historically-focused films. We’ll look at the various modes or styles that have evolved in the course of the genre’s development and the various techniques documentarians have utilized to effectively communicate historical ideas in cinematic form. Only one version of ADOC 335 may be taken for credit.
ADOC 363/AJRL 363 Visual Culture (3)
The course explores the increasing predominance of visual media in contemporary life. It examines how traditional narrative forms of storytelling are being replaced by visual forms of storytelling in journalism, photojournalism, film, television, the internet, video games, anime, graphic novels, and advertising. Particular emphasis will be paid to the global flow of visual culture and the technologies that facilitate these cultural exchanges. Readings range from Marshall McLuhan and Laura Mulvey to contemporary writers on visual culture. Only one version of ADOC 363 may be taken for credit. May not be taken by students with credit for AJRL/TJRL 220.
ADOC 380/AJRL 380 Photojournalism (3)
Students develop the critical skills for evaluating and the technical skills for producing, editing, and publishing digital photographs in a variety of formats, including traditional newspapers, satellite transmissions from the field, and internet web sites. While developing their aesthetic and technical skills, students will critique each others photos in a workshop format. Prerequisite(s): restricted to Documentary Studies Program and declared Journalism majors and minors. Others may be admitted space permitting, and with permission from the instructor.
ADOC 390 Topics in Documentary Studies (3)
Various topics in documentary studies - including film/video, audio, web/hypermedia, non-fiction narrative writing, and documentary photography - will be examined in this course. Specific topics and instructors will vary and will be announced during advance registration periods. This course may be repeated for credit when content varies.
ADOC 400 Honors Tutorial in Documentary Studies (1)
Documentary Studies Honors students enrolled in 300 level courses or above in their concentrations may enroll in ADOC 400 for additional credit of honors work. The Honors Tutorial affords students an opportunity to work one-on-one with their instructors and will include extra reading, writing, and project assignments. May be repeated for credit.
ADOC 406/AHIS 406 Video Editing for Historical Documentary (4)
This course introduces students to the principles and practices of video editing, focusing on the creation of historical documentary films. Through screenings, discussions, and hands-on assignments, students will develop both technical proficiency and creative techniques in editing. From evidentiary editing to montage styles, they will learn to work with primary source materials—such as archival footage, found footage, photographs, and print documents—to craft compelling narratives for historical documentaries. The class also examines the business and ethical considerations that arise during the post-production process, offering a well-rounded perspective on the field.
ADOC 407/AHIS 407 Readings and Practicum in Digital History and Hypermedia (4)
This course introduces students to the practice of history in the digital age. The emergence of the World Wide Web has opened up new avenues for researching, analyzing, and presenting the past–but has also raised new questions about producing quality historical scholarship in this open environment. This course will work on two fronts, looking first at the current state of the field of “digital history,” from issues of narrative and hypertext theory to some of the best (and worst) practices of current historical websites. At the same time, as a central component of the course, students will work in collaboration to build their own well-researched and historically sound web projects. Previous experience with building websites is welcomed but not required. Only one version of ADOC 407 may be taken for credit.
ADOC 412 Readings & Practicum in Nonfiction Media Storytelling (3)
This is an advanced course that helps students use the tools of good writing to understand, evaluate, and create historical media intended for use in museums, on the Web, and on television, with an emphasis on story and story structure. This is not a production course; works will be researched and written only. Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor. Completion of ADOC 224 is recommended.
ADOC 434/AHIS 434 Oral History, Aural Storytelling, and Podcasting (4)
This course offers a broad introduction to the practice of oral history, audio nonfiction storytelling (audio documentary work), quality sound editing and mixing, and podcasting. Students will learn the fine art of effective interviewing, writing for sound, sound editing techniques and strategies, and podcast production and distribution. We will also examine the various ethical and legal issues associated with oral history interviewing and public dissemination of interviews, documentaries, audio features, and podcasts. Only one version of AHIS/ADOC 434 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): junior or senior standing.
ADOC 450 Documentary Studies Seminar and Fieldwork Practicum (4)
The Documentary Studies Seminar and Fieldwork Practicum is the capstone course for majors and minors in documentary studies. Students are expected to complete a substantial project in any one of five documentary concentrations (radio/audio, video/film, hypermedia/multimedia, photography, and print). Students will work with individual concentration advisers as well as the course instructor; they will receive feedback, as well, from fellow students enrolled in the course. Discussion of selected readings, production techniques, research strategies, and legal and ethical issues, as well as viewings of documentary films/photographs and airings of audio documentaries, will inform and complement in-depth examinations of individual projects. The course will be offered once a year, generally in the spring semester. Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor.
ADOC 451 Honors Section for Documentary Studies Seminar and Fieldwork Practicum (1)
The course, for Honors students taking ADOC 450, offers students an opportunity to complete a major project in their area of documentary concentration: radio/audio, video/film, hypermedia/multimedia, photography, and print journalism. This 1 credit Honors course allows Honors students to take on a more ambitious project than normally expected of majors. It culminates in a public presentation of their projects.
ADOC 468/AJRL 468 Literary Journalism (3)
This course invites students to read and analyze literary journalism, with attention to its historical context. Readings include works by Daniel Defoe, Charles Dickens, Samuel Clemens, Stephen Cane, Janet Flanner, Lillian Ross, Rebecca West, John Hersey, James Agee, Dorothy Day, Meridel LeSueur, Truman Capote, Joan Didion, Tracy Kidder, and others. While reflecting on the relations between journalism and literary fiction and nonfiction, students will complete bi-weekly assignments. Prerequisite(s): declared JRL major/minor, AJRL 200Z, and AJRL 201Z or AJRL 270X.
ADOC 476/AANT 476 Anthropology through Documentary Film (3)
Anthropology, the comparative study of human beings, is typically associated in the public eye with the following themes: (so-called) exotic cultures, travel to remote places and cultural immersion (participant observation), a comparative, culturally-relative understanding of human differences, 4) colliding cultural worlds of today, yesterday and tomorrow (cultural contact, culture change, and their consequences), 5) critiques and improvements of ethnoscientific biases in studying the Other, and 6) directing a trained eye to the analysis of western industrialized cultures and their peers. We will explore these themes via the medium of film, under the general rubric of Visual Anthropology, focusing on such topics as historically important films, the politics of representation (in fiction or nonfiction), and the evolution of anthropology as a discipline. In tandem with these themes, we will explore regional cultures and their traditions related to warfare, gender identity, religion, family structure. Case studies featuring films about human rights, culture change, fictional anthropologists, and Native-authored films are also part of the course.
ADOC 499 Special Projects and Internships in Documentary Studies (1-4)
This is a course designed for students interested in engaging in documentary fieldwork and production projects through internships with on-campus and off-campus organizations, or on their own with close faculty supervision. Students should already have the specific production skills (e.g. filmmaking, photography, audio recording/editing, hypermedia authoring) necessary for the project or internship they wish to undertake. Typical projects or internships might involve mounting documentary photography exhibits, participating in documentary editing projects (including online, nonfiction journals), designing virtual museums and pod-casting/video-casting websites, or working as production members on film/video or radio projects. Credit load will depend on the level of engagement and time obligations associated with the specific project undertaken by the student. May be repeated for a total of 6 credits. Prerequisite(s): junior or senior standing, a minimum GPA of 2.50, and permission of the instructor. S/U graded.